Archives: June 2009

I was recently talking to a friend from the U.K about how much notice a DBA should give to their employer should they decide to resign. I told him that the general practice for the U.S. was two weeks, but of course this could vary if the DBA signed an… Read more

This is part 2 of my 29 part series called Better Know A SSIS Transform. Hopefully you will find the series informative. I will tell you a little about each transform and follow it up with a demo basic you can do on your own. Screenshots that go with examples can be… Read more

One of the new features with SQL Server 2008 is the addition of extensible key management, allowing hardware devices to be integrated into the encryption/decryption process for the keys securing your data. There are various vendors that are building Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) that can connect to your SQL Server… Read more

As happens occasionally I had a stack of books on my desk that needed to be put away, and as I went to do that ran into a small challenge – no more space on the shelves. I need to get another bookcase, but as I looked at what I… Read more

In the last year or so, there have been a lot of articles, blog entries,and forum posts on the kinds of technical questions hiring managers can ask a prospective DBA candidate in order to determine their technical proficiency. While technical skills are important for a DBA, I think a lot… Read more

I am working on the outline of a new book I am writing, tentatively called Mastering SQL Server Database Maintenance. It will loosely be based on a similar presentation I give at user groups and conferences.

Saw this in email this morning, Clear has ceased operations after failing to negotiate with its senior creditor. I’ve written previously about trying it for a year and deciding that the benefit didn’t align very well with the cost, and maybe I wasn’t the only one that made that decision.… Read more

I think the hardest part about the job search is interviewing and not being selected. You keep saying “why” with rarely a good answer. It’s not fun to be rejected. I don’t think I can change that with any spin, but it helps if you understand that there are a… Read more

In a followup to Aaron Bertrand's recent blog post on Disaster Recovery, I'd like to mention something I always mention when I teach SQL Server classes. One of the best sources of training I received for being a DBA was, in fact, the training I received...(read more)

I was reading a MCP training manual for SQL Server the other day. It was good. The whole of TSQL was covered in four hundred pages. It didn’t go into anything esoteric, mind you, but it explained such things as remote transactions and locking hints with precision and clarity. There… Read more

My friend Robert Cain was kind enough to include me on his list of big thinkers along with my business partner Steve Jones, Paul Randal and Kim Tripp, Pinal Dave, and Brent Ozar. Distinguished company to be sure! Thanks Robert:-) Read more

Getting a job is hard. If you’ve been lucky enough not to struggle for a job, don’t make the mistake of thinking it will always be easy. Equally, finding a good job is harder still. Some more tips for you to consider:

Blogging is not for everyone and you don't want to give the impression you are something you are not doing something right if you don't blog. Not everyone is a writer, not everyone likes putting their thoughts down, and not everyone is brave enough to publish out on the… Read more

Today Pragmatic Works release it’s second comedic training video featuring Dustin Ryan as “Dustin” and Brian Knight as “Gary” Dustin’s boss. In this video Dustin will teach you how to sabotage your boss by using basic Data Flow components. Prepare to be insulted!

If you haven't heard, PASS is running a contest where you could win conference registration to this year's PASS Community Summit or, if you have that covered, 4 nights coverage of hotel costs. All you have to do is enter by July 1. Check the link for details. Here's my… Read more